Rotary internal-combustion engine.



A. P. PLATES.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIOATIOI FILED AB. 11, 1909.

2 sums-slum 1.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Wz'fwses QMM 12 M A. P. PLATES.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 11, 1909. v

Patented Aug, 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES Parana OFFICE.

mm PAUL runs, or Lennon, BNGLANID, essmnoa T0 Purse ncamns no'rnmr ENGINE nmrrnn, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

ROTARY INTERNAIEGOMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Rotary Internal-Combustion, Engines, of

which the following is a specification.

Rotary internal combustion engines of the annular-chamber type are known wherein two pairs of vanes are em loyed to-operate alternately as a piston an as an abutment,

- for which purpose each pair of vanes is combined with a locking device. for maintainin it stationary to serve as an abutment, and with a device for coupling it to the engine shaft when it acts as a iston so as to drive the shaft. Now, accor ing to this invention as applied to an engine in which a plurality of pairs of vanes are so formed and mounted on one shaft to operate in the same chamber; each air of vanes is so combined with the shaft t at the latter is free to overrun them, the arrangement being such that one vane of one pair and one vane of another pair act alternately as a piston and as an abutment respectively and move together at or about the point of the maximum compression of the charge.

I will now explain the construction of an engine embodying my invention by Way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein z- Figure l is a side sectional elevation, Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of a slightly modified form of engine wherein the spring w is arranged internally around the shaft and also in t is case the two parts Z and u are made separate instead of in one piece Z as in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, and Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

The annular chamber a is of usual construction and is arran ed with the shaft 6 passing throu h its arms horizontally. The

ness I will call one pair of vanes A and the other B and will further number the vanes of A, 1 and 3, and those of B, 2 and 4, as they are arranged in this order m the chamber a. The vanes e, e, e,. e are loosely mounted on the shaft 6. Each pair A and B consists of a central boss h surrounding the shaft 6 and from which the vanes e, e, e, e, project at diametrically opposite points. The vanes e, e, e, e are fitted with the piston rings. The boss 72. of one pair of vanes extends to the exterior of the chamber a at one side, and" the other to the other side, where each pair is furnished with means for looking it in the stationary or abutment position, and means is for coupling it to the shaft 6 in the Working or operative position. Such means j and I: may be of any suitable kind, though I prefer what I am about to explain. For

Patented Aug. 24., 1909.

locking, I secure to the boss 72. a cam Z having two oppositely-situated shoulders m, m for engaging and disengaging a lookin device 12 and provided with'inclines 112/ said shoulders. This device a is disposed radially of the cam l and comprises a member 0 mounted on a bracket p on the cham-- her a so that it may slide, to and fro, its end 9 adjoining the cam I being appropriately fashioned with'regard to the shoulders m,- m and furnished with a roller 1. Between the rear ofthe slidable' member .0 and the contiguous portion of its supporting bracket p I apply a spring .9 always tending to effect the engagement with the cam Z. Therefore the spring 8 effects and maintains the engagement of the catch a with a shoulder at and so the pair of vanes e, e areheld stationary as abutments, while when the cam Z revolves, due to the vanes e, e moving, the disengagement results and the vanes e, 6 act as pistons.

For coupling the vanes e, e to the shaft a I provide a clutch t comprising a fixed and a movable member a and '0, the former, u, being fixed to the boss h of the vanes e, e, and the other e to the shaft 5, either of the members u or '0 bein furnished with a spring w for forcing it mto contact with the other member u. The contacting faces ,00 of the members are helically-formed, and the movable member a is rovided with a roller 3 for effecting the isengagement of the member '0 when that pair of vanes e, e is being held stationary while the ,shaft b is etween ,may be on the catch n being revolved by the otherpair a, e. Hence the over-running of the vanese, a, e, a relatively to the shaft is obtained. 7

The sliding catch 0 of the locking means a admits of an efiective contact arrangement.

for the ignition device. Thus one contact and the other on the bracket p, the whole beieizf suitably insulated as and where uir To insure the combined movement of the pairs A and B of vanes e, e, e, e ust revious to an ex losion, I may provide on t eir bosses Iv notc es and. spring ins for coacting therewith as the movin registers with the stationary one. 'Ot er mechanical means may of course-be substituted.

To start the engine a previously-compressed charge is or may be introduced between a a rtablia or other reservoir.

avin described ,the construction of my engine, will now explain its operation. Assuming the vanes A are moving and acting as pistons, that the vanes B are serving as abutments therefor; thus the vanes B are held stationary by their cam land catch 1, and the vanes A are driving the shaft b-b by the clutch it. further that an explosion has taken place with regard to vane 1 of A, then as this vane drives the exhaust of the revious explosion with regard to vane 2 of which is now reposing' between the exhaust and admission ports, the vane 3 of A compresses the charge previousl drawn in by the operation of vane 4 of and at the same time draws in a fresh charge. As soon as the vane 1 0 us the exhaust port (1, then the ressure alls below that of the compr mixture between vane 3 of A and vane 4 of B whereupon the vanes B move conjointly with the vanes A in consequence of the momentum of the latter vanes and the pawl and notch devices (if an aforesaid, and as a result the cam l and ocking device n of the vanes, A enga and lock them, while the like parts 0 the vanes B disengage, and on the explosion taking place between the vanes 3 and 4 the operations explained are repeated.-

It, will now be .evident that I provide a very simple and compact valveless engine giving four impulses every two revolutions of the shaft, or, in other words, four suction, compression, explosion and exhaust periods every single revolution of a pair of vanes.

I may in some constructions of the engine wish to cut out an explosion or explosions,

v and I accordingly provide means for this occur but w en disen purpose. Thus ma employ a cam for coacting with the clutc in such manner that when in en gement the normal explosions gag some are cut out, Having now practic rly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention air of vanes from a pump or from and in what manner the same is to be performml, I declare that what I ist- 1. In a rotary internal'combustion engine, the combination with an annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports and a pair of double acting concentrically mounted vanes therein, of a concmtric shaft, connections between each of said double acting vanes and the shaft permitting the shaft to over run the vanes at all times, and devices for locking each of said vanes against backward movement.

2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with an annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports and a pair of double acting concentricall mounted vanes therein, of a concentric sha connections between said shaftand each of said vanes for operatively connecting them at two diametrically opposite positions with respect to each other, said connections being constructed to permit the shaft to over run the vanes at al opposite positions against backward movement.

3. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with the annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust orts a concentric driving shaft and a pair 0? double acting vanes mounted on said shaft, a clutch member carried by each of said vanes, clutch members carried by said shaft and en ing said first mentioned clutch members, e enged clutch members having the one a. air

of diametrically ogposite shoulders, an inclined portions a Jacent thereto, and the other having (fielding devices to engage said shoulders an inclined portions and means for locking each of said vanes against back- 'ward rotation.

4. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with the annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports, a concentric driving shaft and a pair of double acting vanes mounted on said shaft, a clutch member carried h each of said vanes, clutch members carried y said shaft and engging e ensaid first mentioned clutch members,

gaged clutch members having the one a air of diametrically opposite lateral shoul ers and inclined faces adjacent thereto and the other having rtions to engage said shoulders and inclined faces, and springs holding said clutch members in engagement, and means for reventing the backward movement of sai vanes.

. 5. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with an annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust orts and a pair of double acting concentrical mounted vanes therein, of a concentric sha connections between each of said double acting vanes and the shaft permitting the shaft to I times,-'and devices for locking each of the vanes at'two diametrically over run the vanes at all times and a locking device secured to and rotating with each of said vanes, provided with locking shoulders disposed diametrically opposite to each other, and a spring actuated device mounted on a stationary part and engaging said locking device for preventing the backward movement of said vanes.

6. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with the annular cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports, a concentric driving shaft and a pair of double acting vanes mounted on said shaft, a clutch member carried by each of said vanes,clutch members carried by said shaft and engaging said first mentioned clutch members, the engaged clutch members having the one a pair of diametrically opposite lateral shoulders and inclined faces adjacent thereto and the other having portions to engage said shoulders and inclined faces, and springs holding said clutch members in engagement, and a locking device secured to and rotating with each of said vanes, provided with looking shoulders disposed diametrically opposite to each other, and a spring actuated device mounted on a stationary part and engaging said locking device for preventing the backward movement of said vanes.

ALBIN PAUL PLATES. 

